A comparative study of conventional Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy versus harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy

Abstract

Hemorrhoidal disease is one of the most common anorectal disorders, affecting, in various forms, almost 50% of people over the age of fifty. Surgical treatment is considered the standard treatment for grade III and IV hemorrhoids. However, although it is considered a minor procedure, the post-operative course is protracted, and the post-operative complications are not negligible. The resulting pain-related complications after conventional hemorrhoidectomy (CH) are often the major factors that prolong hospital stay and delayed recovery. Recently various new treatment modalities have been developed with the aim of overcoming post-operative pain, such as stapled hemorrhoidopexy, Ligasure, and harmonic scalpel, sealing devices. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the conventional Milligan- Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (CH) with harmonic scalpel hemorrhoidectomy (HSH) on eighty four patients with symptomatic grade III or IV hemorrhoids operated on at the Department of General Surgery, AL-Jedaani hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between May 2008 and January2011. The patients were randomly allocated to undergo either a CH (group]= 42 patients) or HSH (group 2=42 patients). After analyzing the data collected from this study we can conclude that; hemorrhoidectomy with harmonic scalpel can provide a safe, fast, low-morbidity alternative to conventional hemorrhoidectomy.